Dunn Graduation 2018

DHS 2018 Graduation Speeches from Principal Ellen Dunn and Education Board Chairman Tara Ochman

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Darien High School’s Class of 2018 got plenty of advice from speakers at Thursday’s commencement ceremony. Here are more speeches from the event:
Ellen Dunn, DHS Principal
Good evening Members of the Darien Board of Education, Dr. Dan Brenner, colleagues, parents, grandparents, guests and most distinguished members of the Darien High School Class of 2018. I am informed that following a long standing tradition at DHS, you will hand me a small token as you receive your diploma. You have chosen a puzzle piece, every one a small part of something bigger. Unique in shape and color, it represents your individuality and the mark you have made on this place and on those who have shared this journey with you.

DHS graduation end 2018

Here Are the Post-Graduation Plans for Darien High School’s Class of 2018

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Here’s where each member of Darien High School’s Class of 2018 is heading:

For more information on the list, which does not have the names of every student graduating, see the bottom of this article. A
Alexander Abbruzzese — post-graduate year

Alex Adelman — Oberlin College

Riley Allen — Elon University

Catherine Alter — Lesley University

Kailey Anderson — American University

Madison Apointe — Pennsylvania State University

Tyler Apointe — Brevard College

Kellie Arevalo — Tulane University

Colton Armstrong — Marist College

Mahmoud Ashrifeh — Syracuse University

See also:

These Class of 2018 High School Graduates from Darien Are Going to Military Service Academies (June 8)
The 2017 list
Class of 2018 Graduates With Pomp, Cheers, Humor and Earnest Advice
Student Speeches from 2018 DHS Graduation Day

 

B
Ryan Baird — University of West Virginia

Sara Baldwin — Binghamton University

Samantha Ball — University of Alabama

Betsy Barthold — Ohio State University

Uma Basu — Syracuse University

Catherine Bates — University of Vermont

James Batson — St. Lawrence University

Katherine Bauman — Trinity College

Adelaide Baxter — Bringham Young University

Charles Baylis — Elon University

Olivia Belknap — University of California, Santa Barbara

Sarah Bellis — Tulane University

Emily Bergwall — University of Miami

Grayson Beringer — College of Charleston

Samantha Berry — University of Vermont

Corinne Bevill — University of Michigan

Chris Bilby — Denison University

Kerry Blatney — University of Pennsylvania

Amanda Blaze — Fordham University

Erica Blaze — Pennsylvania State University

Isabel Blaze — Boston College

Cody Boccuzzi — University of Connecticut

Elizabeth Bradley — Loyola Marymount University

Edward Brannigan — Elon University

Colleen Brereton — Emory University

Onora Brown — University of Massachusetts

Kaela Buggy — Belmont University

Patrick Burke — Miami University

 
C
Alicia Cacciotti — Rollins College

Emilia Callery — Colby College

Cristina Canora — University of California, Santa Barbara

Nicholas Cardone — Michigan State University

Julia Carruthers — Southern Methodist University

Keilani Caruso — Johns Hopkins University

Elizabeth Casciari — Sacred Heart University

Sally Cassidy — Colby College

Christina Chalis — Sacred Heart University

Christina Chao — Fordham University

Katie Chidley — University of Michigan

Kayin Chisolm — Central Connecticut State University

Kaki Christensen — University of Virginia

Natalie Christopher — Durham University

Julia Clarke — University of Vermont

Sarah-Jane Clarke — New York University

Sean Collins — Colgate University

Nicholas Conte —State University New York at Cobleskill

Abigail Cragin — University of Pennsylvania

Will Culliton — Bucknell University

Sebastian Czaja — Villanova University

Nadia Czebiniak — University of Denver

 
D
Emma Dahlquist — Bucknell University

Andrew Darby — University of Michigan

Connor Darby — St. Lawrence University

Christopher Davey — Villanova University

Taylor Davis — Fordham University

Elise de Parcevaux — Boston University

Alexander Dehmel — Williams College

Emily DeNunzio — Colgate University

Tate Desautelle — College of Charleston

Ethan Dewbrey — Kenyon College

William Dickson — Elon University

Deirdre DiMauro — University of Texas

Matthew DiMeglio — Sacred Heart University

Eliot Doll — University of Arizona

Marguerite Donoghue — Miami University

Grace Drugge — Tufts University

Cassidy Duffy — Miami University

Marlene Dumas — Tulane University

Danielle Durkovic — Dickinson College

Konrad Dziedzic — Iona College

E, F
Hayden Edwards — Colby College

Timothy Egan — Pennsylvania State University

Tighe Ekern —Dartmouth College

Nicholas Elwell — Santa Clara University

Ryan Espitia — University of Michigan

Drew Evanchick — University of Tennessee

Callie Fay — Northeastern University

Grace Fay — San Diego State University

Mia Feng — Boston University

Lindsey Ferreira — Lynchburg College

Emily Findlan — University of Connecticut

Christine Fiore — U.S. Naval Academy

Liam Fitzsimmons — Messiah College

Shane Ford — Union College

Thomas Foresta — Santa Clara University

G
Neil Gandhi — Loyola University Maryland

Maxwell Gasvoda — Vanderbilt University

Anthony Gentile — Sacred Heart University

Stefani Gentile — University of Connecticut

John Giannattasio — College of Charleston

John Goll — Grimaldi College

Steven Gomez — Fordham University

Matt Gould — Providence College

KC Grady — College of the Holy Cross

Lilah Grant — Loyola University Maryland

Maxwell Grant — Trinity College

Daphne Gray — Texas Christian University

Nick Green — Trinity College

Ryan Griffin — Auburn University

Samantha Grimm — College of William and Mary

Kevin Grune — Xavier University

Peter Guttuso — Florida Atlantic University

H
Nate Hadlow — University of Toronto

Austin Hagander — Bryant University

Paul Hager — Dartmouth College

Carson Halabi — Hamilton College

Isabel Hansen — University of Vermont

William Harman — Southern Methodist University

Charlotte Harmon — University of Florida

John Harron — Roger Williams University

Annabel Hartigan — Gettysburg College

Hunter Hazelton — College of Charleston

Matthew Hedges — New England Institute of Technology

Faith Helms — Wheaton College

Campbell Henderson — University of South Carolina

Connor Henry — Purdue University

Dennis Hildreth — University of San Diego

Emma Hinton — Dalhousie University

Carter Hollis — University of Colorado

Kent Hurtado — Roger Williams University

 
I, J, K, L
Camille Infurna — University of Southern California

Emma Jaques — Northwestern University

Elizabeth Jennings — Gettysburg College

Lauren Jennings — Colby College

William Johnston — Santa Clara University

Justin Jordan — Sacred Heart University

Jack Joyce — University of Pennsylvania

Regan Keady — University of Notre Dame

Bobby Keeney — Valley Forge Military Academy

Caroline Kelley — University of Tampa

Jonathan Kim — California State University, Northridge

Hailey King — Sacred Heart University

Alexander Klarer — University of Connecticut

Kenneth Klarer — University of Florida

Victoria Klarer — University of Rochester

Grace Klein — Colgate University

Larsen Klein — Colgate University

Emily Knapp — Franklin and Marshall College

Oliver Knight — Washington University

Daniel Koenitzer — University of Alabama

Jake Kooyman — Johns Hopkins University

Chloe Kosnik — Colgate University

William Krueger — College of William and Mary

Brooke Laird — Middlebury College

Dante Lancellotti — Fordham University

Jeffrey Lane — Northwestern University

Isabel Larino — Colgate University

Lauren Larizza — University of Virginia

Forrest Lazzara — University of Colorado

Cheyenne Li — University of Connecticut

Jenelsy Lopez — Franklin and Marshall College

Hannah Lopiano — University of New Hampshire

Emma Love — Gettysburg College

Caroline Liu — Cornell University

M
Charlie Magnotta — Trinity College

Jackson Major — College of Charleston

Kaitlyn Manghirmalani — Bryant University

Christian Marchesi — Brewster Academy

Elise Maro — Quinnipiac University

Alexander Marshman — University of Vermont

Casey Martin — Wellesley College

Katie Martin — Santa Clara University

Caroline Martzolf — Indiana University

Connor McCarthy — University of Alabama

Logan McGovern — Bryant University

Mary McGovern — Binghamton University

Alex McKay — University of Vermont

Parker McLane — United States Marine Corps

Peter McMaster — gap year

Jackson McNear — Southern Methodist University

Ella Mead — University of San Francisco

Angela Mehta — Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Tammay Mehta — Cornell University

Hailey Meier — Clemson University

Jeremy Merrifield — University of Oregon

Laura Milukas — Purdue University

Brian Minicus — Colgate University

Aislinn Mobley — Loyola University, New Orleans

Sara Moorhead — College of Charleston

Kylie Morgan — University of California, San Diego

Liam Morrill — University of California, San Diego

Brooke Murphy-Petri — St. John’s College

Alex Murray — Elon University

Madeline Murray — Elon University

Barak Mustafa — Sacred Heart University

N
Mike Neary — Brown University

Ellie Nelson — University of California, Los Angeles

Emily Neuner — Williams College

Alex Newton — Villanova University

Albert Nguyen — University of Michigan

Henry Nolte — Wake Forest University

Carr Noonan — Santa Clara University

Isa Nuissl — University of Applied Sciences, Utrecht
O, P, Q
Julia O’Brien — University of Wisconsin

Emily Oh — University of Massachusetts

Charles Olsen — Trinity College

Kimberly Olvany — Santa Clara University

Caroline O’Malley — High Point University

Sean O’Malley — Salve Regina University

Bailey O’Mara — Fordham University

Salim Onbargi — Boston University

Ryan O’Neil — Trinity College

Andrew Orner — University of Pennsylvania

Kara O’Rourke — Yale University

Dillon O’Shea — Tufts University

Marie Ostrand — Hobart and William Smith Colleges

William Ostrand — Hobart and William Smith Colleges

Griffin Ott — Bowdoin College

Kyle Pan — University of Connecticut

Thomas Pankowski — Sewanee: The University of the South

John Parkhurst — University of Rhode Island

Will Pegler — Pennsylvania State University

Connor Percarpio — Pennsylvania State University

Brett Peters — Rochester Institute of Technology

Scott Peters — Southern Methodist University

Elizabeth Petner — College of Charleston

Daniel Pfrommer — University of Pennsylvania

Clare Phelps — Stanford University

Alex Phillips — University of Miami

Bo Pollio — Hobart and William Smith Colleges

Mitchell Pryor — Vanderbilt University

Tiernan Quinn — University of Denver

 
R
Brielle Racanelli — University of Miami (in Florida)

Cameron Raia — Utah State University

Katie Ramsay — University of Southern California

Harrison Rayhill — Syracuse University

Katy Read — Rollins College

Molly Read — Miami University (in Ohio)

Henry Rech — Texas Christian University

Lauren Reesor — Kennesaw State University

William Rehm — College of the Holy Cross

Emily Richards — San Diego State University

Hannah Riegel — Boston College

Gillian Riordan — University of Mississippi

Coco Rooney — University of Vermont

Will Rooney — University of Maine

Brendan Ross — Xavier University

Tyler Russo — University of Alabama

Carly Rutledge — Lehigh University
S
Nico Salazar — Iowa State University

Jack Savage — Quinnipiac University

Wiley Schmidt —Florida Gulf Coast University

Addie Schoen — Northeastern University

Leah Schofield — Loyola University Maryland

Sydney Schrenker — Wake Forest University

Samuel Scott — University of Pennsylvania

Livia Scura — University of Richmond

Emma Seely — James Madison University

Nicholas Servas — University of Texas

Matthew Shabet — Harvard College

Maguire Shea — University of Vermont

Shelby Sibilio — University of Alabama

Grace Silsby — Wake Forest University

Emery Smith — Lafayette College

Megan Smith — Colgate University

Blake Sommi — Tufts University

Olivia Srednicka — Loyola University Maryland

Charlotte Stansbury — University of New Hampshire

Lexi Staubi — University of Southern California

Thomas Stearns — Kenyon College

Owen Stevens — Yale College

Cole Stevenson — University of Wisconsin

Connor Sullivan — Endicott College

Jack Sullivan — Bentley University

Alex Swift — Richmond University

 
T, V
Fiona Taney — Hobart and William Smith Colleges

Olivia Taylor — Elon University

Lucas Thompson — Manhattanville College

Connor Tienken — Trinity College

Edward Tierney — Dickinson College

Jennifer Tomaj — Pace University

Julia Tong — Barnard College

Thomas Tousignant — University of Vermont

Justin Tovar — Pennsylvania State University

Cara Tracey — University of Vermont

Caroline Trager — Gettysburg College

Craig Triano — Indiana University

Kathleen Tropsa — Miami University

Tiana Tupac-Yupanqui — Loyola University Maryland

Justin Van de Graaf — Duke University

Jackson Vaught — Northwestern University

Christopher Vernal — George Washington University

Sophia Vivenzio — Loyola Marymount University

David Volz — University of New Hampshire

Hendrik Vossler — Wake Forest University

 
W, X, Y, Z
PJ Wade — Fitchburg State University

Grace Wakim — Miami University (Ohio)

Lindsey Wallach — Syracuse University

Scott Walter — Montana State University

Alex Wang — Dartmouth College

Rory Washecka — Cornell University

Kate Weinberg — Pitzer College

Lucy Whitaker — Montana State University

Alex Williams — Tufts University

Will Wilson — St.

Student Speeches from 2018 DHS Graduation Day

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Here are the full texts of the speeches given by students at Darien High School’s Class of 2018 graduation on Thursday, as provided by the high school:
Welcoming Remarks
Amanda Blaze, Community Council President

Good evening and thank you all so much for coming. I would like to acknowledge and thank a few people that will be a part of the ceremony tonight and have made an invaluable impact on our school community. Thank you to our Board of Education chair, Mrs. Ochman, and the members of the Board of Education here with us onstage. Thank you to our superintendent, Dr. Brenner. Thank you to our amazing principal, Mrs. Dunn, whose love for each and every one of us is evident in the work that she does every day, and to our assistant principals, Dr. Greenwood, Mr. Schoenbart, and Mrs. Dimoulas.

Processional DHS graduation 2018

Class of 2018 Graduates With Pomp, Cheers, Humor and Earnest Advice

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Students and school officials at Darien High School’s graduation ceremony on Thursday gave the Class of 2018 plenty of advice, with humor on the side, occasional moving moments to add to the traditions of robes and marching, the throwing of mortar boards and the receiving of diplomas. The sun shone bright and hot, the speeches were relatively short and the ceremony appeared to have gone as planned — but the speeches had their own original touches on common themes. Here’s a sampling of what the speakers said:

Darien Public Schools Superintendent Dan Brenner, at presumably his last Darien High School graduation as he leaves for the United Nations International School, asked grandparents in the crowd to stand up, and then, parents who were attending the first graduation of any of their children, and other parents. “This is a day of celebration,” he said, “one that is filled with may emotions, not the least of which is pride.” Brenner quoted a Chinese saying, “One generation plants the trees while the next generation enjoys the shade.”

Darien High School Graduation

The 2018 Darien High School graduation ceremony takes place at 5 p.m., Thursday, June 21 on the DHS Stadium Field (or indoors if there’s rain). No tickets are needed if the ceremony takes place outdoors and seating is unlimited there. There are special traffic rules, starting at 3:30 p.m., for both the high school and Middlesex Middle School graduation ceremonies, which happen at the same place (on Wednesday, June 20 for the middle school). Here’s what Darien High School and Darien Police Department have announced:
DHS Graduation Day
Graduating seniors should arrive by 4 p.m. and report to the South Gym for robing and final preparations. Gates open at 4 p.m. and seats are first-come, first-served.

Christian Ostberg graduation 6-17-16

Darien High School Graduation Logistics: What to Expect, When and Where

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The 2018 Darien High School graduation ceremony takes place at 5 p.m., Thursday, June 21 on the DHS Stadium Field (or indoors if there’s rain). No tickets are needed if the ceremony takes place outdoors and seating is unlimited there. There are special traffic rules, starting at 3:30 p.m., for both the high school and Middlesex Middle School graduation ceremonies, which happen at the same place (on Wednesday, June 20 for the middle school). 

Here’s what Darien High School and Darien Police Department have announced:
DHS Graduation Day
Graduating seniors should arrive by 4 p.m. and report to the South Gym for robing and final preparations. Gates open at 4 p.m. and seats are first-come, first-served. There will be folding chair seats on the field, as well as the entire home side bleachers.

Einstein bunny Peter Lyon Darien Nature Center sponsor an animal

Give Your Graduate a Gift to Remember: Sponsor an Animal at Darien Nature Center

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Graduation season can be a challenging time for thoughtful gift givers — how do you mark such an achievement with creativity and meaning? Here’s one way: Consider sponsoring an animal at the Darien Nature Center in honor of your graduate. Honorees receive a congratulatory email announcing your unique gift, mail updates about their adopted pet, are invited to schedule one-on-one playtime, and are recognized with signage in the Nature Center Zoo Room. — an announcement from Darien Nature Center
“It is a gift that shows social consciousness and celebrates the graduate’s love for the natural world,” said Nature Center Executive Director Leila Wetmore. Alicia Lyon of Darien recently sponsored an animal in her son Peter’s name.

Christian Ostberg graduation 6-17-16

Darien High School Graduation Date Set by Board of Education

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See also:

Darien High School Graduation Logistics: What to Expect, When and Where (June 17)

Following a recommendation of Superintendent Dan Brenner, the Darien Board of Education votes unanimously Tuesday night to set the date for Darien High School graduation for a date near the end of June. The last day of school for teachers across the district will be Friday, June 22, and for students, Thursday, June 21. That Thursday, June 21, will also be Graduation Day for Darien High School. Any event that closes school for a day or more could always mean that extra school days will be added, changing the dates, Brenner warned. The first day of summer school will be Monday, June 25 — so if for any reason the school year is lengthened, something would have to be done about that starting date.